


Sheltered Kid

by SLSacarver



Category: Casper (1995), Casper's Scare School (Cartoon), Casper's Scare School - All Media Types
Genre: Blood and Gore, Dead kids, Gen, Gore, Violence against Children, a lot of gore, leave the kids be, no ships they're kids, they're like 10
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:49:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24575593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLSacarver/pseuds/SLSacarver
Summary: Casper's first day at Scare School is gonna leave a mark. Growing up around humans made him softer compared to his classmates. He learns this and many other things about monster culture through his year in Scare School. Basically a Camp Camp like take on Scare School. Cross-posted on fanfiction.net. Edited by TrueCanadianGirl on AO3 and Leopleurodonz on DeviantArt.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

The school year could start in worse ways. Like the building setting on fire.

However, Casper would prefer that over this.

The school bully, Thatch, biting his tongue off as he tried to turn him into his eternal thrall. It wouldn't be that bad had blood not of gone everywhere. And he means _everywhere_. Staining the vampire's dress shirt and getting all over the plush seats of the flying ship. Red flew through Casper's incorporeal form as he stared down in horror.

He's lived a relatively sheltered life, he quickly realized as he frantically grabbed hold of Thatch's shoulders and whipped his head around to see if he could spot a first aid kit. Even more so when none of the children on the bus seem to care. In fact, most mumbled something under their breaths and tried to hide snickers.

"Help!" he stuttered out, looking around the ship for any kind of help.

Thatch clamped his hand over his reddened mouth and shoved Casper away clumsily as the captain, Cappy, sauntered over nonchalantly. He blindly, mainly because he was blind, stumbled over with the relative ease of familiarity of the siege.

"Aye, what're ye playin' at back 'ere?" He barked out, as if a student weren't in danger of bleeding out right now. His parrot, also called GPS for guiding parrot system, waved his scarf covered head.

"Squaaawk! Thatch bite off his tongue." Squawked the bird, sounding fairly amused.

Casper takes a startled step back when Cappy takes Thatch by the arm and hulls him to the front, the latter gurgling through the coagulating blood pooling in his mouth.

He took a wavering step towards the retreating duo before getting pulled back into a stained seat. It also pulled him back into reality as he hears his classmates laughing and cheering him on. Beside him sits a girl, her skin grim and gaunt from visible decay. She's smiling at him.

"Hey, nice one. That guy is a total jerk."

Casper blinks, most likely looks like a fish out of water.

"I.. I didn't mean to. Honest! Is he going to be okay?"

The girl rolls her eyes. Her blue hair swaying from the wind with general abandon. Not quite reaching reckless status yet.

"Ugh, probably. Would've made the school year more tolerable if he bled out. I'm Mantha." She held out her hand to him as if Casper didn't feel like fainting right now.

"Uhh, I'm Casper." He sputtered, taking her hand.

"I'm Ra."

Casper turns and sees a mummy boy. He's wearing a toque with some Egyptian symbol on it and dusty ribbons covering his body. A confident smile bares his face and almost makes up for the fact that there was a drop of blood staining the bandages under his right eye.

Two skeleton girls, both baring colourful markings on their faces, turn from their seat in front of Ra and face him. One blonde and the other pink haired.

"Ra? Like rah, rah, go team?"

"Like a cheerleader?"

Ra gives a smirk at the two and leans back against his seat to look cool and interesting.

"Yup, I'm a cheerleader. I'll see you two boneheads at the pep rally." He winks at them before they turn back to themselves, discussing what they'll wearing to the fake pep rally.

"So, um," Casper hesitated. "Why are they sending you guys here?" Asking no one in particular. Mainly just trying to find some kind of common ground after watching his classmate almost die. It was also a good question considering their apparent lack of empathy and general compassion for others.

"I have unraveling issues." Ra supplied. Was that intentional?

Mantha crosses her arms defiantly, her upper lip jutting out a tad bit.

"No one sending me here. I signed up. People are always putting zombies down. And I am here to show them that zombies are just like everybody else!"

She throws her hands in the air to put emphasis to her passion and in doing so, launched her arm through the air. Rotting flesh flings through the air. Kids grumble in protest at the assaulting substance as it leaked into their clothes and hair. Thankfully, the wind was enough to push the smell away.

Ra catches her arm before it can fly overboard and tosses it back to her.

"And I gotta work on that." She grimaces.

"That was great, the way you stood up to that vampire." Ra remarked as Mantha shoved her arm back into its socket.

"I knooow! He is such a prick."

Casper rubs the back of his neck, looking sheepish. Not the nicest language either.

"I don't know, I don't think he deserved that."

"Oh, yeah. And I suppose Pheros didn't wash his eyes out with urine to get his eyesight back. Ha ha! Ha haa, uhh. Mummy joke."

The rest of the boat ride went without a hitch as they pulled into the school. Minus the sea monster trying to devour them. Casper, for a moment, felt lucky he was already dead.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casper reflects on a talk he had with his uncles as he tries his best to stay positive.

The beautifully ancient architecture and vivid energy of the school was almost enough to make up for obvious eerie stains on the walls and carpets. Getting off the ship, Casper felt determined to make the best of what he had. As his uncle Fatso always said.

“Thanks for the smooth ride captain. I like how you eased up on the anchor, just before we stopped so the boat wouldn’t jerk.” He remarked as he took his steady steps onto the solid land. It definitely helped his nerves, that’s for sure.

Cappy’s eyebrows arched as he brought his hook hand up to his mouth in thought.

“Nobody’s ever noticed that before.”

Casper didn’t feel very surprised at the confession. All well. As long as he was here, he’d do his best to make sure Cappy felt appreciated. Maybe, while he was at it, he could learn more about monster kind since it was fairly obvious that he didn’t know much.

His uncles did their best to raise him, their adoptive nephew. In the beginning, Casper never quite got along with them or agreed with what they did. They wanted to have fun and teach him how to be a “proper monster” and he wanted to make friends. It was clear which path they all wanted.

With time, however, they understood each other more. Casper became less a servant and more an actual member of the family. They taught him how to stomach scaring and more about monster culture, which he learned is very different from what he grew up around.

He wished he picked up more, especially when Thatch flies up to him with a very heated look on his face. The older boy still had blood on his shirt, but he didn’t seem to care as Casper takes a step back.

“That wath a dirty trick you pulled up there, Cathper. You’ll with you could die again once I’m through with you.”

Casper’s nonexistent stomach curled around. Thatch’s lisp being a very real reminder of what he inadvertently caused. A lump goes down his throat but he refused to let him intimidate him.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Thatch. I’m sorry.”

His apology was largely cut off with the vampire huffing and puffing his chest out. He wraps his cap around him and juts his chin out. Gosh, there was blood on the outside of his cape too.

“I’m not hurt. You can’t ‘hurt’ a vampire.”

He throws his cape out, baring his fangs to Casper in a very vain threat.

As if to prove his point wrong, the two skeleton girls walked by with polls perched over their shoulders.

“Where are the mountains?”

“I think they’re over there.” The blonde girl points in a direction not where the mountains are. The pink haired one turns around with no regard for who’s around her and hits Thatch so hard with her poll he flips and falls on his back. He swears he heard a faint crack upon impact.

Thatch’s eyes look faint, and Casper is pulled away by Ra and Mantha before he can help him up.

He tries to check if someone will help Thatch, but he’s quickly embraced by the crowd of monster children. Chatter quickly flies like bombardments on Casper’s already overwhelmed state of mind. He was suddenly very grateful for finding friends this fast. Surely, he’d be having a panic attack right now if he didn’t.

“Jeez, Casper, chill out. You’re a ghost, it’s not like they can do anything to you.” Ra smiles. The blood under his eye still prominent, though darkened by the air.

The chilly air was visible on everyone’s breathes as it lapped up from the lake. Kibosh, in all his green glory, stood at the podium. Normally it would comfort him to see someone familiar in a stressful situation. This wasn’t a normal situation.

“Take a good look around, students. These walls are lined with pictures of the great ones. Those who have gone before and every single one of them began as you are. Students here at Scare School. Outcasts, misfits, losers, rejects, pariahs, wannabes, D-listers.”

Ra grimaced and whispered. “We get it already.”

“Whether you’re a ghost, or a goblin, or a gorgon, mummy, or even… I don’t know, a zombie.”

He smirks at his last example. Mantha grated her teeth and glared to the side. That was racist.

“Typical anti-zombie attitude.”

“We, all of us, have something in common. Share a common destiny as creatures. What is that destiny?” He asks, floating close to the crowd. His painfully vivid red eyes boring into them like poorly cut diamonds.

“To scare humans! Why? We do it to preserve something called the _Balance_.”

Casper could see a two-headed creature wearing fancy clothes snickering quietly behind Kibosh. Who are they?

“Simply put, if we scare humans too little, they’ll rise up against us. And, if we scare them too much, they’ll rise up against us!”

Each kid looked around amongst themselves as if to see if anyone understood what he meant. This wasn’t the first time Casper was told this. His uncles gave this speech every time he went to go play with humans or fed a stray cat milk.

“You’ll be learning more of this in the months to come. The humiliating, demoralizing, excruciating months to come.”

Wait, so this was just the tip of the iceberg. He wasn’t sure if he could take anymore of this. He still feels horrible for hurting Thatch and he can’t cope with being the only kid here with basic compassion.

“Anywho! Study hard, good luck, etcetera etcetera. Your headmaster will now lead you in the school song.”

An old organ rose from the ground and the shrill sounds of unrehearsed singing filled the air like a bowling ball was used to shove ice into your ears. The school didn’t do much to prepare Casper, but at least his uncles taught him the song. They were as equally untrained as the rest of the students. It made him wonder if that was the intention.

Soon after, Kibosh took the mic from the now identified headmasters and dismissed the students. They didn’t seem very respectful of his authority. Casper went to leave with Ra and Mantha but witnessed the headmasters fall. Naturally, he was quick to offer his help and flew over.

“Sirs! Are you alright?” He asked, not wanting to have someone else hurt.

The heads snarled at Casper, dust and dirt pressed into their tailored clothes.

“Stop being nice!”

“What’s wrong with you?”

Casper pulls away in shock as the headmasters get up and shuffle away unhappily. Dejected, Casper flies away after his newfound friends. This will take some getting use to.

* * *

Unclean corridors filled his vision and gargoyles jeer at him from above as Casper carries his luggage into the boy’s dorms. Despite being a large boarding school, there weren’t many kids there. No where near the amount he’s seen from human schools. A lot was different here from what he’s learned from human schools. He remembers the speech his uncles gave him before he came here.

“Look, Casper, monsters aren’t the same as humans. They don’t want to share crackers with you or whatever those humans do. They’re cruel. They’re hateful. You’re not gonna survive there if you don’t toughen up.” His uncle Stretch recited for the up tenth time.

Fatso rushed about, filling Casper’s luggage with clothes and his various books and valuables while Stinky tried to organize. Stretch slapped his hand as he went to put in his favourite snow globe.

“Don’t pack that up! They’ll smash it the moment they see it.”

Casper squirmed on his bed. His uncles weren’t painting a pleasant picture.

“I don’t want to go to Scare School. I like it here with all of you and Jimmy!”

His pleas went unheard as they flew around his room. The sound of old wooden wardrobes swinging from the movement in great contrast from the usual disuse.

“Didn’t you guys have a best friend?”

“Don’t argue, Casper. you’re going to Scare School, period.”

Casper hangs his head, his uncles uncharacteristically frazzled. Surely it wasn’t as bad as they were making it out to be.

“What if I don’t go?”

“The alternative is too terrible.” Fatso said grimly. His eyes just as melancholy as Stinky dropped another article of clothing into the slowly overflowing luggage carrier.

“I don’t think it sounds so bad.”

“Not so bad!” Fatso dropped the lamp he was carrying in genuine fright. A sight to behold. “Banishment to the _Valley of the Shadows_ -”

Stretch and Stinky fly in to cover Fatso’s mouth, just as fearful. Casper was, quite frankly, tired of this coddling.

“Alright, spill it. What’s this ‘ _Valley of the Shadows_ ’?”

“Nothin’!” “Non’yea business.” Stretch and Stinky once again doing damage control.

“Come on, you guys! It should be up to me. Just tell me.”

An unpleasant frown mares the lankier of the brother’s face, “But we don’t want you ending up like your aunt Spitzy!-”

It was now time for Stretch to be silenced as he receives the same treatment. Casper was getting closer and was very proud to see Stinky crack.

“We can’t keep this secret from ‘em forever. We don’t have enough hands!”

The defeated trio groaned and sighed as they floated over to their adopted nephew. He wiggled around his spot on the bed and leaned forward in anticipation.

“Look, Casper, we didn’t want to tell you this until you were older but you’re right. You _do_ deserve to know.”

Fatso and Stinky exchanged nervous looks as Stretch continued with grim conviction. “If yea’ can’t shape up at Scare School and stop bein’ friendly there’s a good chance you’ll get sent to the _Valley of the Shadows_.”

Stinky full on shudders and cups his face in distress. “Ooh, it’s too awful.” He cried.

Casper was skeptical. Surely, they were playing up the fear to convince him.

“How bad could it be?”

“Casper, if you get sent there you can never come back!”

Okay, that was pretty bad.

“We can never see you again.”

“And we can never say your name again.” Fatso and Stinky added.

“It’ll be like you never existed.” The large ghost looked to the floor is dismay.

“Like aunt Spitzy?-”

The trio covered his mouth and hushed him. Stretch looked over his shoulders in paranoia.

“We’re not allowed to talk about her.”

Stinky’s lip wobbled, recalling her face. “Let’s just say, she was very special to us.”

Stretch’s face turned stern as Stinky sobbed in the background.

“Whatever you do at Scare School,”

“Whatever they throw at you,” Fatso continued.

“Don’t blow it!”

“We don’t wanna loss you, too.” Stinky offered his hand to Casper.

* * *

What stuck out the most about that interaction was how genuinely kind and caring they were to him. A substantial change from what they began as. Casper wishes he took more heed to their words despite the fact that Stretch wouldn’t let him leave unless he brought a weapon with him. And although he’s starting to see why he made him bring it, it still didn’t make him feel any better.

As he tucked into bed for the night beside Ra, he couldn’t help but wonder what they were doing right now. Were they lounging in the living room? Or scaring humans around Deedstown? Or maybe they were just like him. Wishing he could be anywhere but here for a moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna edit the talk with his uncles so it reflects more on the new universe but I'm tired and sleepy take it bye


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things grow worse for our favourite boy. He angers his teachers and his headmasters push him farther.

Tones of misery rang through the school in the form of bell tolls and rats scurried through the halls in a hurry. Casper sat beside his friend Ra in the foreboding science class. Cracked and fogged jars lined the walls, holding both fortunately dead and unfortunately living creatures. Rusted and bloodied surgical tools laid strewn about the uncleaned tables as Casper tried to stomach his horror.

Professor Thurdigree Burns, as they learned, walked into the class and Thatch bolted out, coughing profusely and eyes bulging red out of his skull. He had attempted to gas Casper with an Achoron Beetle but it backfired and Thatch instead ended up inhaling the horrific toxins.

“Today, class, we will be discussing the science of scaring fleshies.” Slur, but okay.

“When the fleshie is afraid it begins to run causing heavy breathing. Moisture begins to form under his arms, on his forehead, and on his upper lip. What do we call this moisture?”

The Professor flips through various displays of scared humans. Casper raised his hand, eager to answer the question. Yes, something he knew.

“Scare juice.”

Wait, what?

“Scare juice is secreted by metal tubes which are attached to an electric pump inside the fleshies stomach. This pump is powered by a tiny monkey.”

“This is all wrong.” Casper whispers to Ra, who strangely enough wasn’t copying the notes. Maybe he knew.

“That is why it’s best to scare them from above. This causes the fleshie to stare upward in horror, allowing the monkey to look up the throat, panic, and start pumping.”

Around the class, each student, minus Ra and Casper, were dutifully writing notes. He had to say something, right? He felt empowered despite being surrounded by fluid-stained countertops.

“Actually, Mr. Burn, sir?”

“Yessss?” The poor-eyed dragon drawled as he turned toward his student.

“That moisture is called sweat!” He sees Ra tense up beside him but he barrels on. “It happens to humans after any kind of healthy exercise.”

Professor Burns looms over Casper with a debilitating look in his eyes, his booming voice carrying through his incorporeal form with a measured roll of his tongue.

“ _ Wrooong! _ Scare juice, metal tubes, monkey in the tummy.”

And, of course, Casper might have made a very real mistake.

“But I actually know some humans and-”

Ra did his best to signal Casper to stop but went ignored as Professor Burns launched daunting fire across the room. Rattling bottles and scorching students that weren’t fast enough to move. Pain filled screams filled the room and a puppet girl, Dummy Girl, rolled around in horror as she watched her limbs light up in an arduous inferno. Students watched dumbstruck as the girl’s body was slowly being consumed by the flames.

Professor Burns huffed at the girl before glaring down at the terrified ghost.

“See me after school for detention.” He gave an exasperated groan before turning and tending to the wooden girl writhing in agony on the floor. Welcome to Scare School, where dying children are treated as an inconvenience.

Later that day, Casper was surprised to be greeted upon exiting Professor Burns’ class by his two friends. It warmed his false heart to hear their concerns. It’s just like he told Ra, everyone is basically friendly.

At dinner, the cafeteria thing served some revolting pale pile of goop that smelt like burnt hair. It flung students across the room occasionally and only sometimes knocked them unconscious. The floors reeked of rotten food and unclean liquids. Thatch sat glaring at Casper from a table behind as the trio discussed their plans for the evening.

“You wanna study together?” Mantha offered her mummy friend.

Casper gave a dramatic yawn and stretch, having other plans.

“I’m feeling pretty wiped out. I think Imma turn in early.”

His friends bid him goodnight as he dumped his tray into the piling mountain of garbage bags and departed to the boy’s dorms. Filth reeked through them as the pink haired skeleton girl, Monaco, poked her head from inside a trash can.

At night, Casper propped up a pillow in his place on his bed while the rest of the monsters were asleep. He flew and floated through walls and doors as he attempted to navigate the harrowing halls and wandering students. Almost hearing in on a personal phone call on the way.

“Everything is going great, ma.” Thatch responded fondly to the vampire on the other end of the line. His finger twiddling around the cord connected to the unearthly, glowing communication device.

“I got a B+ in lurking…. I’m real popular!” He listens to his mother for a beat before rolling his eyes in annoyance.

“ _ Yes _ , I’m drinking enough blood.” Honestly, who did she think he was?

The end wisp of Casper’s tail flickers at the corner of Thatch’s eye. He turns just in time to see him leave around a corner. Wherever Casper was going, he wasn’t going without Thatch knowing.

He hung up the phone in haste, bidding his mother goodbye, before giving chase. Casper may be a ghost, but Thatch knew these halls like the back of his wing. He ducked and flew around jagged pieces of metal hanging off the walls and ceiling. He did his best, but the ghost boy hardly gave a sound after he disappeared behind door after door. Sadly, Thatch caught sight of him just as he left for the docks.

* * *

The following morning, Casper walked to his first class with his two friends, babbling on about soccer scores. He sat in a dusty, moldy room that could barely qualify as a classroom. The walls were covered in an old wallpaper and had pieces chipped away from wear and tear. Despite the damage, it had a lack of blood spots that were a common sight around school.

Their teacher, a spectral head in a glass named Ms. Hedy, stood at the front of the class in front of a sheet of torn and yellowing linen.

“So, as students of history we see the Balance as our common what? Ra?”

She turns her diaphanous head towards the boy. He looks up from his textbook and mulls over the words. “History?”

“Correct.” The head swimming in a green aura smiles in glee. “Let’s watch a short film that explains a little more about the Balance. Lights!”

The hunchbacked boy stood on a ladder, bemoaning how he’s always picked to do it. Racism is why. Curse the school system.

The video gave a horrifically inaccurate video on humans and brainwashing the children into complacency. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, Casper fell asleep and floated into the view of the projector.

“Casper!” Ms. Hedy barks out, the magical winds in her globe twirling about her glass.

Casper’s eyes crack open, and he drops into his seat. The students roar in laughter at the ghost boy’s expense as the teacher in the glass levels him with a disappointed look.

“See me after school.”

Perfect. Second detention on the second day. If only gym class could have gone better.

* * *

Frankengymteacher, convenient name, had the class chase after a wooden sign of a human that looked painfully inaccurate while he released some of his childhood trauma onto them. Lovely.

Thatch was ahead of the class and his ego was so massive Ra could see it from the end of the line.

“Ha! Look at me, I’m all the way up in front. Vampires are just naturally superior.”

He gave a cruel smirk which morphed into confusion as Mantha, the ever determined zombie, pushed closer and closer before taking the lead. She bounded over hurdles as Thatch ran his face into them. Hard. His nose was gushing blood, but no one cared as Mantha climbed and swung herself over obstacles.

Her body made impact with the last hurdle and her various body parts went flying. Rotting meat and maggots went all over the floor as soft skin wiped against the unpolished floor panels, splinters of wood wedging in. Frankengymteacher’s lip rolled up in disgust at her. At least she couldn’t feel pain.

Casper ran over with an excited grin despite the maggots crawling around the floor.

“Mantha, you finished first!”

He looked behind him at her scattered limbs with a shy smile. “At least, part of you did.”

The hulking green man kah-thumped over with his blocky shoes. His face painted with a repulsed sneer.

“Why are you helping that student?” He demanded.

Casper’s mouth flapped open in panic. Uh oh.

“Uhhh, to be real mean and then tough and uhh grrr and to kick her with her own foot and uhhh.”

He obviously wasn’t buying it. He’d heard about Casper from the other teachers.

“See me after school.” Whoops. Awkward.

“Actually, sir, I already have detention with another teacher today. Does, um, tomorrow work for you?”

Frankengymteacher’s face contorted with rage. If he had any blood in his body, his face would surely be flushed with it. Instead, the bulbs on the sides of his head blared red.

“That’s it, you’re outta here!”

* * *

They marched Casper up the long stairway to Alder and Dash’s office. The gargoyle shoved the ghost boy into the room unceremoniously.

“So, anyways. Here’s that Casper kid.” And he was alone with his two callous headmasters.

“You wanted to see me sir…. s?”

The two-headed monster slithered over to the apparition. An apathetic look in their eyes.

“Casper, it’s come to our attention you’ve been disruptive in several of your classes.” Dash addressed him. His little brother, Alder, piping in with a barb.

“Yeah! They say you keep bein’ nice!”

“We despise nice. Nice makes us sick.”

“Also our undercover spy is telling us things about you.”

Wait. “You mean Thatch?” He supplied.

The vampire had been following him and had been generally unkind towards him. The tongue thing was an accident and he  _ still _ felt horrible for it.

Dash blinks in surprise.

“Absolutely not.”

“Wait, I thought it was Thatch.” Alder asked his other, genuinely confused.

“Quiet, you nincompoop!” Dash lashed at him. “And what our spy is telling us is you’re up to no good.”

“But I thought no good was good?”

“No!” Alder cried. “No good is good. But when you do no good its no good!”

“You follow?”

“No.” He answered honestly.

“Good.” “Good.” The duo cheered.

“Now then, between whatever it is you’re up to and all this niceness we’ve been hearing about, you’re probably the worst creature in this entire school.” Dash finished with a small laugh.

“And not worst in a good way!”

“You’re a disgrace, Casper, and frankly we’ve got a lot more important things to deal with.”

“Yeah! Like, taking over the world!-”

Dash grabbed his brother’s neck roughly, effectively shutting him up.

“The worlk. Which is just a fancy way of saying work of faculty members who have fallen behind. But where was I? Ah yes, Casper. One more mistake and we’ll take great pleasure into banishing you-”

“To the Valley of the Shadows. Ever hear of that?” Alder finished. The two of them have a devilish gleam in their eyes as they smiled an awful smile down at Casper.

“Um, yes, sirs.” He stammered out. Recoiling into himself.

“Well, whatever you’ve heard, it’s  _ worse _ . As you walk down the narrowing twisting road to its threshold icy winds will chill you to the core and your companions will be the screams of the poor doomed creatures who walked the lonely path before you. Never to return.”

Casper fell to his knees and clasped his hands together. Begging.

“Please! Gimme one more chance.”

“One and only one. Now go.”

Casper hung his head as he made the demoralizing track back to his dorms. There wasn’t any way he’d make it out of this. Every step was a sobering one as gargoyles laughed as they threw their spears at unassuming birds. This was it. This was where it all ends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is moving faster than I thought. I gotta fix that. Add more things here and there with the side characters. Would you guys like to see more with the others? I do have things planned. Also, bonus points for whoever noticed something weird with Ra during science.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ra and Mantha help Casper trick his way into being scary while Thatch takes a further beating for comic relief.

“I’m _doomed_.” Mourned the ghost. His friends were seated around him as he lamented over the situation, both wearing concerned looks on their partially decaying faces.

“I’m gonna be banished to the Valley of the Shadows.”

Mantha brought her hands to her chest and bared a compassionate look. Her voice stern yet caring.

“Casper, don’t talk like that. We’ll help you.”

“There isn’t much we can do,” Ra claimed. “He’s friendly to the mighty Horus and back. He might as well waltz in there himself.”

“Ra!” Mantha snapped, outraged by his tactless remark.

“Well, I suppose in that case we might as well go since we’re friendly as well.”

“ _Ra_.”

The aforementioned mummy crossed his arms and shrugged. Although nice, the mummy seemed apathetic. Not just to this, but a lot of things. Not to say he didn’t care, it was clear he did, but he just seemed like nothing was ever a problem for him.

It was clear Mantha wasn’t having it. She huffed and focused on the poltergeist at hand.

“Casper, the three of us might not be scary, we might not even be spooky, but we are smart. We can find a way to make everyone think you’re scary. We just have to use our heads!”

She declared and tapped her head in emphasis. However, her nerves had decayed enough that she couldn’t tell how much force she put into it and sent her head falling to the ground.

The now common sight of rotting flesh came falling off her body and onto the floor. Mantha spit some out and gave a disgusted look. She glared at the two boys.

“What’re you looking at?”

* * *

The three monsters opened their textbooks and researched in the library on scaring techniques. Given the fact that Casper was a ghost already gave him some advantages. They were advantages that Ra and Mantha were excited to use. One of which they used in science class.

Thatch stood at his filthy desk, experimenting with what Professor Burns gave them, when Casper first struck. Nauseating chemicals and poisons swirled around the cracked beakers and the mists stewed. They grew higher and higher until they leaped up and filled the vampire’s hair with vile colours and tear wrenching fumes.

He hacked and coughed and opened his teary eyes to an apparition hovering before him. Its miasmic haze dipping down and coiling against the floor. Its face ripped in a silent snarl. It was Casper, but the realization didn’t do him any good and he fell back against his work station. Test tubes and beakers falling everywhere as chemical fueled tears dripped down his cheeks and burned holes into the desk as they fell.

Professor Burns turned around at the ruckus and huffed at Thatch’s unsightly state. Casper stood innocently beside the dishevelled boy.

“Thaaatch, what seems to be the problem?” The dragon drew, his wings fluffing outward.

“It’s Casper! He scared me and ruined my experiment.”

Thatch’s face pulled into a hurt look as his eyes grew puffy and red from both the coughing and the tears. Casper felt a deep pulse of guilt. He didn’t want to do this and yet Ra stood beside him with an encouraging look. He’d hurt Thatch _again_. He’d have to apologize to him somehow.

“Really? Casper,” Professor burns pulled a disbelieving look at him before turning into a gleeful grin. “Nice job.”

Thatch sputtered unintelligently while Casper looked at Ra with a dazed look. He did it.

* * *

History class was just as victorious, only this time with less hurt people, which Casper took a liking to. They bribed the sea monster into acting for them. As it turns out, the sea monster itself was actually friendly, too. They just gave him some treats, and he was willing to help. Casper now had more than two friends at this school.

Last, they had gym class. Casper wasn’t overly enthusiastic about it. They knew they couldn’t pretend with Frankengymteacher, so Mantha had Casper trip her over a jump. Sending her flying across the room in many pieces.

Frankengymteacher cackled obnoxiously and Casper was grateful he won him over, despite how scummy he felt.

Then Thatch had to get in the way. He was still angry over what had happened in science class, tear stained holes in his shirt.

“You call that mean! I’ll show you mean.” Fumed the vampire.

He stomped past Casper and over to where some students, including Mickey and Monaco, were hanging on the ringed ropes. He grabbed Monaco’s leg and whipped her against the cyclops girl beside her, sending the entire line swinging.

Children screamed and wailed as Thatch gave a loathsome laugh. They flew in every direction. Dull thuds signified the sound of heads hitting the floor. Students laid hurt or unconscious, or worse. Casper felt a gasp escape him as he saw Monaco collide with the unwary Frankengymteacher.

The green giant gave a growl and spit out a tooth. He wiped the blood that dribbled from his lip and marched over to Thatch with diabolical intent. The boy stood unaware, a heinous grin against his cheeks.

Frankengymteacher grabbed the back of his cape, cutting off the rough sound of laughter and replacing it with strangled gasps. He pulled him up and took heavy strides to the door.

“What? I thought you _liked_ mean!” Thatch struggled to get out, sharp fingers grappling at the clasps of his cape.

“Not to me!”

Casper floated down to Monaco as the two left the gym. He picked up her pink sunglasses and handed them to the skeleton. Luckily, they aren’t cracked. Well, the sunglasses and the girl’s bones.

“Hey, you dropped these.”

“Thanks!”

Mickey joined her sister. They seemed to give a sort of smile to them.

“That was really, uh, nice.”

“But we won’t tell.”

* * *

At dinner, our familiar trio sat together discussing how the day went. Ra gave a full laugh. Despite what many thought, Ra didn’t have that many moments like this. When he did. he took the time to enjoy them, even if it was at the expense of someone else.

“Did you _see_ the look at Thatch’s face when the gym teacher dragged him outta there? I nearly popped a stitch.”

Casper gave a small smile. Honestly, there were so many things he’d need to apologize for, but it had come to the point where he doubted it was going to make a difference. No one seemed to care about that around here, as much as it pained him to admit.

Among the students, a pirate wobbled through the busy dinner hall in search of his ghostly friend. Beaky fluttered down on Ra’s head as his partner made his way over to the kids.

He leaned close to Casper and made a very weak attempt at whispering.

“Casper, I’m glad we’re alone.”

“Um,” He looked at his friends. “Actually-”

“I just been talkin’ to yer best mate, Jimmy.” Uh, oh. “You know, yer fleshie friend who ye ain’t suppos’ to be swappin’ secret letters with? Well-”

Ra and Mantha shared worried looks with each other. Beaky simple offered him a dry look in response.

“Captain, can we talk about this later?”

“No!” He replies with an alarmed tone. “He says the game yer secretly sneakin’ out to got moved to today.”

Cappy handed him a white envelope. It almost felt foreign, compared to the surrounding school.

“Don’t let this not get into anyone’s hand. Not even yer friends, trust them though ye may.”

It’s a little too late for that. Today was going so well, too.

Casper mumbled out a thanks and the blind pirate wobbled away. Mantha bends over the table, actually trying to keep their conversation discreet as Ra’s lip formed a tight line.

“Casper, do you know how dangerous this is?” She demanded out of worry.

“I made a promise to a friend.”

“Well, if he wants to send you another note, he better get the address of the Valley of the Shadows.” Ra injected, trying to keep a calm expression despite the nervous energy that surrounded the table.

“You’re right. You’re both right. But…” Casper opened the letter, quickly scanning each line as he tried to access the situation. Wait a minute.

“6:30?! I gotta go.”

Casper spun around in his seat and flew out of the cafeteria. It was almost 7 o’clock. He could worry about Scare School later.

* * *

That night, Ra put Casper’s pillow down for him before bed. Yeah, he knew Casper had been sneaking out, but for all of him he’d never imagine he’d be visiting a _human_. Sure, he had been a human once, so had Casper, but it just felt bizarre acquainting with them now. He was so in touch with his creature side he so often forgot that other part of him. He had to adjust somehow.

Still, he wouldn’t judge his friend. If he wanted to stay attached to his human side, then that was his choice. However, he knew that in order for Casper to find peace, here or in the afterlife, he’d have to come to terms with his death. He didn’t know how old the ghost was, but if he had to guess he would say he was fairly young. Sure he had the emotional maturity, but something about him made him seem new, youthful. He was probably a century at most. His naïve nature towards humans and creatures were telling enough.

When Ra saw that beetle in their first class, he felt a surge of fear enter his stomach. Poisoning could be a peaceful or painful death, depending on how the assassin wanted you to go. His certainly hadn’t wanted the former. He’d learnt later in his undead years it had been mandrake. The same way his parents had died.

It was rough and tumble, his afterlife. He was only 12 when he died and it took many years of fear and pain to come to terms with it. He had been only a boy, after all, and now he was almost 2000 years old. Many nights and days stumbling through dark tombs that not even his parents could comfort.

And now, he had Casper and Mantha with him. He could see that same avoidance in the two of them, how they both took firm stances. Where Casper was closer to his human side, Mantha was unshakable in her beliefs for zombie equality. It was admirable, but he could also see how she was running away from her own problems.

Why was he so attached to them, he wondered. All he had to do to answer that was to take a deep breath of the musty air of his sarcophagus. Memories of lonely nights swam through his skull in a heartbeat, if he had one. So many times he longed for a friend, only to watch them fade away before his eyes. Casper and Mantha were like him, here forever.

Maybe they could all be there for each other. It was dangerous for Ra to hope, but he dared to for a minute.

A minute it was, as he heard the sea monster boy yelling about Casper. He propped open his sarcophagus and stood up, seeing a vicious look in Thatch’s eye as he did the same. What a fun start for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes!! Insight into Ra's character. I'm soooo excited. It's also occurred to me how much damage Thatch has been taking. I gotta do something for him after this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casper tries, and fails, to return from Jimmy's game peacefully. As a result, he's going to have to pay the price.

Despite their folly, Alder and Dash were men of ambition. It was clear from a young age that life had more in store for them than a simple teaching job. No, it was laughable. Kibosh, that blind old ghost, knew nothing of what the creature world needed. Everyone knew a _ghost_ couldn't be trusted with the greater good of their world. It was time for a change. If only they could…

As they stood in front of Kibosh's looming statue, sneering in disdain, Alder had a brilliant idea for once.

"Ah, too bad the real Kibosh isn't made of stone. We could smash him and crush him and-!"

"Little other, you just had a very smart idea…" Dash grinned. It was a nasty thing.

The two conspired in mirthful contempt in the ghastly odours of the swamp garden as a flying narc descended to the unearthly ground. Smoke billowed away as Thatch transformed from a bat. He looked fairly proud of himself.

"Sirs," He began, stepping down from the stairs. "Your faith in me has paid off."

Dash internalized a groan. This damned bat was growing to be more of an annoyance than anything else.

"Now what?"

"It's Casper. He's not in his bed." Thatch tattled.

"Neither are you." Alder reminded, eager to get the boy in trouble.

Thatch frowned, his black hair giving a gentle dance in the wind.

"Yeah, but I'm ratting on him."

Confounding children, this is why they were eager to get out of here.

"So, if he's not in his bed, where is he?" Alder asked.

Thatch ran his tongue over his fangs in thought. Where could ghost boy be?

As if in answer, he sees the ship flying back to school from behind the jeering headmasters.

His heart practically leaps into his throat as he whips his hand out towards the boat.

"He's on that ship! Come on!" He exclaimed.

"You better be right about this. And you better not be wasting our time." Dash remarks as they follow the young vampire into the school.

No way was Thatch going to let ghost boy get away. He'd show the headmasters. He'd show the entire creature world if he needed to, then everyone will know how supreme he was.

Everyone.

* * *

A wary eyed Casper walked down the boarding plank of Cappy's ship. He'd just made it at the end of Jimmy's game and boy was it a good one. All that was left for the night was to make it back to his rooms unnoticed and get as much sleep as possible.

I mean, that _was_ the plan before Thatch came barrelling down the hall after Casper like a bloodhound on a mission.

Another great chase ensued as Casper tried his best to out fly the vampire bat, his friends pulling tricks from the side. There were many perks to being a ghost, he thought as he dove through halls and over gates. Although Thatch had his bat form and super strength, it was no match to Casper's ghostly form. Plus Ra and Mantha sabotaging their pursuers when they could. That was awesome.

The two split up as Mantha made her way to the girl's dorm as Ra and Casper booked it to their beds. When Thatch and the headmasters got back, Casper was calmly laying in his bed.

"Hey everybody," He yawned. "What's up?"

Thatch felt a hot anger brew in the coils of his stomach. He bared his fangs at the ghost, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"You know what's up."

Giving another fake yawn for performance, Casper threw his legs from under his covers to face the three. Another perk of being a ghost. No sweating. No heavy breathing from exertion.

" _I'm_ up 'cause you woke me."

Thatch's hand quivered as his face grew flushed. Many of the other boys woke up and stared at the group in a mixture of annoyance and upheaval. Thatch puffed out his lips undignified and stomped his foot down.

"He's.. he's lying. He wasn't here because he was on that boat!"

Casper quirked his false eyebrow in confusion. "Boat? I wasn't on any boat." He claimed, looking at the headmasters with masterful bewilderment.

"I was here asleep. Right, Ra?"

They all looked at the tired mummy. He was sitting in his sarcophagus, trying his best to make sure his heavy breathing wasn't obvious, which it was. Ra shook his head at the headmasters.

"Yeah.. We were asleep, too." He panted. Boy, he wasn't used to this much running.

Thatch's eyes flared with violence as he grated his fangs down against his gums. It hurt, but he didn't care. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

"They're lying! They're all lying. I'm the only one here telling the truth!"

He stood before the headmasters with conviction ridged in his spine. Casper sat innocently in his bed, trying to ignore Thatch's purple hate-filled eyes.

Dash snorted out of scorn, Thatch's anger directed at the two. "This was obviously a complete waste of our time."

"And to think he was our specially deputized spy!" Alder proclaimed.

"He wasn't."

"Oh."

Thatch's expression grew crestfallen, the corners of his mouth pulling a dreary look. This changed back to rage quickly as Casper fluffed his pillow.

"Well, if you'll just excuse me, I'm gonna get back to sleep here." Casper drew.

As he dropped his pillow on the bed, the letter from Jimmy was rocketed out of its hiding spot and over to the agonized Thatch. It seems fate had another hand to throw his way.

"Wait, what's this?" Oh. Oh, this was _perfect_.

"Ooh! A letter. Casper," He began, everyone stopping to listen. "My soccer game got changed to today. I'll see you at 6:30. I know you'll be there, you haven't missed one yet."

The headmasters loomed viciously over the students as Thatch recited the letter. Casper's fearful look switched from the vampire, the headmasters, to his equally despaired friend, Ra.

"Signed, your _human_ friend Jimmy."

* * *

The morning after was horrible. The students sneered at Casper as if he'd committed a hate crime in the halls and during classes. His friends stood at his left and right, ready to shoot back bitter looks for him. The teachers were even cruel towards him. He'd hear whispering from everywhere, ranging from how he was probably still a fleshie in disguise to even worse things.

Was being friends with a human that bad? I mean, he was a human at one point, so…

Casper felt nonexistent bile churning in his stomach at the thought. He shook his head at the assaulting memory. His uncles had warned him, but he didn't take much heed to their words. Maybe he should have. Maybe he should have taken heed to a lot of things they told him.

He drew the line, however, at violence and retaliation. Ra and Mantha tried to convince him to carry his butterfly knife, given to him by Fatso, with him for the day, but he wouldn't have it. It made him feel vile. No matter what the creature world threw at him, he refused to let it change him. He would always be Casper the Friendly Ghost, through and through.

So with that, Mantha took it upon herself to brandish it. Ra beside him with his khopesh. A family heirloom, he said as he pulled the intimidating out from his luggage.

"Look, I know you don't like violence, but we do what we gotta, man. You gotta get with the creature world."

No matter how kind his friends were to him, he'd always be reminded that they were creatures. They've lived in this world longer than him, and he'd have to accept that. Just as they've accepted Casper's friendly-to-a-fault nature.

After classes, the cruel headmasters gathered the student body for an assembly. It was obvious what it was about. Given how they stared down at Casper with such apathy. No, not apathy. Like he wasn't even a creature to begin with. Like he was some germ on their floor.

"A certain student, whom we need not identify, has done the worst thing it is possible for a creature to do." Dash's voice boomed over the children through the mic. Mantha stood with a scowl while Ra glared at Thatch from the corner of his eye.

"He has befriended a _fleshie_."

A blaring red light dropped on Casper and the other student immediately moved away from him in disgust. Ra and Mantha held their ground, boldly glaring at any creature who may be thinking of moving against him.

"Lest any of you get the idea that this sort of thing is okay tomorrow we'll be going on a little field trip to Deedstown. Where any creature who fails to scare a fleshie will have to answer to us."

Thatch looked smugly at the distressed ghost but Casper couldn't care at the moment. He brought his hands together and stared at the headmasters with an earnest heart.

"Please, don't take it out on them. Everyone else shouldn't have to suffer for my mistake."

Dash sneered. "Scaring fleshie isn't suffering. It's what we do! Right?"

The creatures surrounding the trio gave a cry of ecstasy. Casper felt himself recoil inside him as his friends grew closer to fend off the rowdy crowd. No, they can't be with this. Right?

"Oh! And, by the way, Casper? Your assignment is to scare a particular fleshie. Know anyone named Jimmy?"

* * *

A/N: Hey! Sorry for disappearing for a bit there. I don't know how many more chapters we'll be going through here but I am determined to finish this! I have way too much planned. If you'd like to get involved more with this my DA is [here](https://www.deviantart.com/comanchedoombunny). 

Alternatively, you can also leave a comment on what you think on this or any questions. Also, bonus points if you noticed anything weird with Thatch's thoughts. Later.


	6. Chapter 6

The walk aboard the ship was a dread filled one, his classmates laughed and jeered as Casper walked by, it felt as if the wind itself was mocking him as it flew through him like an empty void. He couldn't help but feel like Ra and Mantha were being a tad over dramatic, following him like guard dogs. When he mentioned it to them, Mantha simply shrugged.

"Softer creatures have to move in packs. I'm sorry, Casper, but it's the safest way." He didn't like the implications of that. Especially when no one blinked at the two and their weapons.

On the way, they walked by Cappy and he felt a whole new wave of guilt.

"Chin up, laddy. We'll sail through this fog. I'm sure of it." He croaked out. Oh, how he needed the wisdom of his elders right now. However, he didn't think Cappy was that old, regardless, Casper gave him a kind smile.

"Thanks. I feel so bad they took your parrot away to punish you for helping me."

The old pirate's eyebrows flew up in concern. "They did?" Wait, he didn't notice? "He's a mighty fine bird. He deserves better crackers than I give him." Cappy's lip trembled as sobs left his body.

The other children behind him snickered at him and Casper, despite himself, sent them a glare.

"Will you be okay to steer?" He asked the very blind pirate.

Cappy sucked in a shivering breath and wiped away the tears that threatened to fall from behind his eye patches.

"No worries, matey. I can navigate by smell." He insisted, puffing his chest out.

Just as he said this, Mickey and Monaco stepped aboard the ship. They were some of the only people Casper could still call friends at this school. They took a step back in clear disgust.

"What?!" Monaco exclaimed in horror.

"Maybe we should think about getting on another boat?" Mickey suggests.

"What do you care? You're already dead!"

Meanwhile, the two scheming headmasters stood at the dock with a menacing book clutched in their tentacle hands. Diabolical grins graced their faces as they finally had the means to enact their plan.

"No more interruptions. We can spend the day making the petrification potion to turn Kibosh to stone." Dash proclaimed. His brother was just as eager.

"First ingredient, three painfully extracted nose hairs."

Dash's evil eyes drifted to his younger brother as Alder felt a sense of dread. He had a feeling there would be a lot of blood from this.

* * *

The boat settled down in Deedstown, beside the Ghostly Trio's mansion. Casper couldn't feel more relieved than he was when he saw his elated uncle float over. Fatso happily captured him in an icy hug, and it almost made the entire trip worth it.

"I want you to meet my friends. I mean, classmates." The young ghost corrected.

"Ra and Mantha, these are my uncles. Stinkie, Stretch, and Fatso." The trio gave their own brands of hello. Ra put on a playful smirk and tapped his chin.

"I'm sorry, who was Fatso?" The three ghosts shared confused looks. They thought it was obvious?

"Joke!" Ra laughed. Fatso was… less than amused.

* * *

Cut to Deedstown a few minutes later, we see the creatures running around terrorizing the community. Grim and vile monstrosities wrecked havoc among the streets, and humans fled from the surrounding horrors as heinous cackles filled the air. They were creatures, horrors, and would do as they pleased. For the Balance, of course.

There were students like Thatch and Mosshead who not only excelled at the practice, but took great joy in it. Then there was Ra and Mantha, whose performance was less than adequate. Mantha for one would be picking bird seed out of her hair and skin for days.

Finally, it was Casper's turn. And, boy, did he hate every second of it.

Casper took cover inside a cardboard box as Jimmy ran into the dark garage. A red humanoid-like monster was chasing him and was very disappointed that they lost him. There goes their good grade.

Jimmy took back deep, measured breaths. Soccer had taught him how to manage his breathing, which was useful for when the monsters came to town. However, soccer training didn't prevent him from jumping at the sound of someone rummaging through the boxes at the back of the garage. The dark, dusty atmosphere clung to his chest like a weighted blanket as his eyes struggled to adjust.

"Casper, is that you?" He called out into the dark. He couldn't hide the crack in his voice. Hah, it's just his friend playing around, he told himself. His eyes could barely make out the flashlight sitting on a box beside him.

"Don't be scared. I'm turning on my flashlight." The boy said playfully. He walked over to the back; the light aimed towards the tool rack. The tools trembled against the plywood like there was an earthquake, the sound of rattling and metal skidding against it, then they jumped off, but instead of rattling against the floor, they floated up into the air. Around Jimmy, as if threatening to pounce on him. Jimmy shakily turned the flashlight towards a moving box. It rattled and threatened to give against whatever shook inside it.

"Casper, if that's you, say something." Jimmy's lip trembled as he stuttered over his words. He raised a shaky hand over the box but before he could even touch it; it burst open. The twisted face of his friend loomed over him, even more horrifying than what he had pulled on Thatch. Disfigured fangs dripped over Jimmy dangerously as the phantom let out a wicked shriek, the sound like nothing that ever came from his body before. Jimmy screamed as tears threatened to peel from his eyes. He dropped the flashlight and bolted towards the garage door. He sends his once friend a betrayed look as the light from the outside world penetrates the petrifying atmosphere, bringing air to what Casper had done.

"Casper, I thought you were my friend." Was his departing remark as he fled from the scene leaving Casper standing alone, in the mishandled box. The gargoyle stumbled out of the locker he was hiding in and gave an appraising look as he marked his performance down on his clipboard.

"A+, kid." Was all he said as he left to report his success, leaving Casper to mull over what he'd done.

* * *

On the boat ride back, Mantha sat beside her ghostly friend, attempting to make light of the situation.

"I hear you got an A+." She smiled.

"Yeah, thanks."

He knew he should have expected this, his uncles had told him, but it didn't take away the utter guilt that brewed in his false stomach. This wasn't like when he'd hurt Thatch, this was hurting his best friend. Why did he _have_ to hate him for being a human? Why did he have to hate anyone for anything like that?

Cappy stood stoic against the wind, despite the worry that filled him. Mickey and Monaco sat beside him, just as troubled for their kindhearted friend.

"How's the little guy look?" He asked, blind and parrot-less.

"Like, really pale." Mickey said.

There was a pause as Cappy let her words settle in. What?

"He's a ghost, ya bonehead." He barked at the skeleton.

"Oh, yeah."

That night, while bats and insects skittered about, trying to feast on any unwary students in their sleep, Casper was wide awake. Although dead, he could feel a dreary resolve fill every inch of him as he numbly wrote a letter.

_Dear, Ra and Mantha,_

_Thanks for trying to help me, but I'm not cut out for this. There's only one place left for me to go. Looks like the Balance will have to balance itself out without me. Goodbye, I guess, forever._

_Your friend, Casper._

The next day, Ra found an empty bed and the note on the lip of his sarcophagus. As he read each line of neat handwriting through the heavy waves of sleep, he felt dread rise forth more and more.

Oh, no.

* * *

A/N: Hey! It's me. Sorry for the short chapter. I am going to be going camping for a week which means no working on Sheltered Kid for that time so I wanted to get this out while I could. We're on the last legs of this so I hope you're just as excited as I am!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghost panic attack, shady magic, and cutaways. Need I say anymore?

All in all, Casper was as prepared as he could be. He was sufficiently forewarned of the unrelenting horrors that dwell within the Valley of the Shadows. How there would be no return from its torturous claws and eternal torment clawing away at his mind and deforming his cognition beyond anything conceivable.

Maybe the swirling mass of pink should have tipped him off. How he went from being miserable, with his friends, at Scare School to sipping on lemonade with his aunt???? Was beyond him but he wasn’t about to ask anymore questions because they only lead to more.

Here he was. The lovely sun gently laying down its beautiful gaze upon him and his new friends. No better way to end this story. The very world around him, which seemed to be teeming with magic, seemed to agree as it moved and shaped itself for Casper’s every whim. Even the desires he didn’t say were instantly fulfilled. A refill here, a biscuit there. He could enjoy the rest of eternity here.

His friends, however, were very much against the idea. Ra and Mantha anxiously awaited Casper’s uncles outside the headmaster’s office, only to be forced to wait outside for the rescue plan. What were they, children? One of them was over 1500 years old, for goodness sakes!

For a moment, things seemed to be turning up ghosty until their nefarious headmasters decided it’d be a wonderful idea to turn his uncles into stone. Leaving the two undead students as the sole witnesses to the crime. Or Mantha the sole witness and Ra hearing it through the door.

There they stood, explaining the whole thing to a blind, parrotless pirate, hoping to find their friend while silently pleading to whatever terrible god that watched over them they wouldn’t crash and die before then.

“Casper’s the only student who ever praised me navigating.” Cappy reminisced with determination as the wind threatened to tear through the boat. They were flying at top speeds and everyone was hating every second. All for Casper, they supposed.

“I can see why!” Ra yelped as he flailed around the ship with genuine horror. He always said he was built for the earth and that has yet to change.

“What?” Cappy snapped back, offended for his very terrible driving.

“He can see why Casper would praise you. You’re a very aaAHHHHHHG!” Mantha said before shrieking at the mountain they were about to crash into. Really, it’d be by pure miracle if they survived this.

And a miracle it was, they made it to the arguably more terrifying entrance to the Valley of the Shadows. Mantha may rethink her faith in a higher power if she wasn’t already dead.

“Away ye blighters! None of yer boney finger or spooky hollerin’ will make us turn around.”

“He’s right.” Mantha declared with vigour. “Our friend’s in there!”

“We don’t care if ye scream and wail. I don’t care if ye sink me boat!” Cappy yelled down at the freaky vines and branches.

The sentient figurehead’s eyes widen in alarm. “WHAT?!”

* * *

Meanwhile, Casper was laughing with his aunt at the fully utilized pool. It was odd, to say the least. This world was so perfect. Treats sprouting from the flowers, trees that danced to music, wind that sings sweet songs to you. And the temperature was always,  _ always _ perfect. What kind of magic could have made this place? And who made it? No one seemed to know. Then again, no one seemed to care.

“I think this is the most fun I’ve ever had.”

Aunt Spitzy smiles and her eyes catch someone to the side. She waves them over.

“Hey, Belle, Murrey! Meet Casper.”

Casper’s smile morphs to horror as Alder and Dash stalk over from the shadows. There’s no way. How’d they get here? It’s supposed to be impossible to leave. That’s why he came here. No-turning-back-no-chance-for-regrets was kinda the whole deal here. The grass gave a shiver around Casper’s feet, as if feeling his panic and fear bubbling up his throat like hot, acidic vomit. They can’t take them back. What will his uncles say? They’ll freak and yell and hate him again and after he worked so hard for them to love him-

“Ahoy, Casper!” The gentleman head greets the scared ghost.

“Hello, Casper. I’m Belle, that’s Murrey.” The lady head echoes the other. Casper stands confused as they carry on, oblivious to his internal meltdown.

“What’s wrong?” Or not so oblivious. Wow, Casper definitely spent too much time at Scare School if  _ that _ was his first reaction. Who knew ghosts could have panic attacks?

“Sorry,” Casper looked down bashfully. The wind gave him a gentle caress, as if to comfort him. “You just remind me of somebody I used to know.”

“Yeah, we get that a lot.” Murrey nodded. Clearly this place is frequented by students of Scare School.

* * *

Back with our scared heros, there they stood not-so-boldly against the cacophony of the mass of salmon pink. It was gaudy at best and atrocious at worst. We’re going with atrocious.

“Someone has to go in.” Mantha, despite being the first to speak up, shivered in fear.

Ra shook his head adamantly. “Do not look at me. I’ve already died once and that was good enough for me.”

Cappy’s none-eyes narrowed as he stared?? at the cosmic atrocity in front of them. “No creature that goes through yon way can ever return.”

Mantha brings a decaying finger to her chin in thought. “But we could send someone who’s not a creature?”

The three look up to the sentient figurehead, the poor man. “What?”

Cut to them, shoving the man into the vortex on a giant stick very much against his will. This, ladies, gentlemen, and formal creatures, is why you probably shouldn’t let 10-year-olds come up with plans. And let blind pirates supervise.

The poor man writhed and twisted as much as he could, shrieking and whimpering as they threw his life on the precipice of infinity in some vain hope that they could once again come in contact with their dearly departed friend. If he could produce tears, they’d be streaking down his cheeks like ribbons against the harrowing winds of the darkest plane of existence.

“Ahhhgg! Oh, please don’t gobble me guts with yer ravenous demon teeth, nooo! Please!”

“Hi.”

Oh.

“Uh, hi?”

* * *

Outside, our new ragtag trio is standing around holding a stick into the swirling pink abyss. Ra is really not feeling it. You’d think being alive for over 2000 years would show him everything by now. Too bad most of those years were spent in a tomb.

He rubs his chronically sore neck. They did not set him right during his mummification.

“What if he can’t find Casper?” He asked. It was a good point. No one knew what it looked like in there, only that it was unbearably vile and held horrors well beyond anything a monster could conceive.

“Give him another minute in that festerin’ pit of inhuman sufferin’.” Cappy said. His eyebrows set in scorn.

* * *

Our probably 6th cutaway so far this chapter shows our figurehead sipping on a lovely lemonade on a cute mushroom table with our friendly new characters. He smiles genuinely as he floats beside the table.

“Thank you!” This was, by far, the kindest he’s ever been treated. God, these are low standards.

Aunt Spitzy gingerly picks up a treat and offers it to the poor man, her smile as big and shining as the pearls around her neck.

“Lemon square?”

“Oh, don’t mind if I do!”

He happily munches down on the delightful treat, briefly wondering how they bake in the middle of the forest. Magical fairy land nonsense, probably oh right he’s here for a reason.

“Oh, wait!” He explains, breaking the calm atmosphere. “There’s somethin’ I ‘ave to tell ye. The headmastah’s ‘ave turned your beloved uncles to stone!”

Spitzy, well, spat out her drink as Casper’s eyes went wide in fear.

“My uncles?!” “My nephews?” Casper and Spitzy asked at the same time.

Casper shook his head, almost afraid, and bit his lip as much as he could.

“What do you mean? How could that happen?!” His voice gave a quiver as he brought his hands down in outrage.

“I don’t know for sure,” The figurehead replied. “But I know they plan on doin’ the same to Kibosh. Then nothin’ can stop ‘em from terrorizin’ the whole world. Or worse. Poor fleshies.”

Spitzy wrapped her arm around her nephew’s shoulder, both tremendously shaken by the news. Casper knew all too well the disdain most of the creature world has against ghosts. How bad it was  _ before _ Kibosh came into power. No one would bat an eye if he were to disappear. But what he didn’t get was…

“I don’t understand. How could Alder and Dash do something so horrible?” The boy asked.

Belle and Murrey shot up like whips and stared horrified. “Alder and Dash!” The two exclaimed.

The lady of the two brought an offended tentacle to her chest as her lip trembled. “My sweet little Alder and Dash would  _ never  _ do that.”

Casper cocked his ghosty head. Huh?

“You know them?”

“I’m their aunt!”

“I’m their uncle!” Murrey echoed.

“We’re their ancle!” The two cheered.

They slithered to, uh, an electric keyboard? A mic and spotlight descended onto them from nowhere and Murrey played jazz as they gave a performance of a lifetime. Casper needed to learn how the magic here worked. Who made this place? How did it so perfectly respond to its inhabitants? Pondering for another time, he supposed as a flower danced in front of him and filled the air with luscious scents.

“Alder and Dash were always the nicest boys.” Belle brought her and Murrey’s tentacles together as the ancle reminisced together.

“Alder liked magic tricks!” “And Dash just loved music.”

“Boy,” Casper spoke with a smile on his face. “They’re nothing like that anymore. What happened to them?”

“After we got banished, the shock must have turned them horribly, horribly horrible!”

Belle and Murrey hung their heads in grief for their nephews’ lost childhoods. Casper, however, felt a shy jolt of determination fill his unearthly body.

“I gotta stop Alder and Dash and save my uncles.”

* * *

At Scare School, there is an assembly gathered. Alder and Dash stand proudly at the podium, the spotlight shining down like the daunting glow of the lifeless moon. A scowl bore the brother’s faces as they imagined what it would be like if they were staring down at a kingdom, not some school built for lowlifes.

Students stood before them like peons, ready to be sent out for slaughter. Thatch naively stood with a smug face.

“That ghost banished himself because of me! How awesome am I, right?” The vampire bragged to Mickey and Monacco, 100% certain that Kibosh or at least the headmasters would reward him for his vile behaviour. Both girls looked unimpressed.

Kibosh ascended onto the stage in a hurry, his ghastly green illuminated in the haunted light of the sickly lanterns. He sneered at the headmasters.

“This had better be good.” He warned the duo. He has far too many things to get done today.

They smiled wickedly at him, positively giddy. Truly, they’d be bouncing in joy if they weren’t so incredibly composed.

“Oh, it will be.” Alder crooned like a crow.

“But first,” Dash said. “Your goodbye song!”

Kibosh was taken back in surprise before he managed to compose himself. Is this truly the maturity of his chosen headmasters?

“What are you talking about? I just got here.”

Alder happily tooted the awful wooden whistle as the two belted out into song.

“Thank you for your inspections and promotional rejections!

We both enjoyed them about as much as painful ear infections.

We’ll never have to waste another minute looking at youuuu!”

Alder grinned wickedly as he reached into their coat.

“Now, goodbye Mr. Fleshie. Hello Mr. Statuuue and goodnight!”

The brothers shot the icy blue liquid in the leader of the Underworld’s face. He recoiled as his face flashed concern, confusion, then rage. The students, everyone, all quivered as they felt the energy contorted and practically lunged toward Alder and Dash.

But before anything could happen, Kibosh’s form turned slowly into stone. How? He was the ruler of the underworld? He writhed and twisted against the binds that were swallowing him like a snake eating a mouse alive.

“Don’t let them get away with this!” He cried. “The Balance will be destroyed!”

With a small hush of magic, he was consumed by his stone prison. Dash smiled, almost estatic, as he pushed Kibosh over with a single tentacle.

“Hmm, doesn’t seem like he knows so much about balance after all?”

Everyone sneered and cheered. Finally! The ghost was gone! No longer would they be ruled by fleshie. They stalked off the stage and around the hoard of students towards the dock.

“Time to unleash our fury on the fleshies of Deedstown.” Dash crooned.

Thatch anxiously shoved students out of his way as he ran up to the new rulers of the Underworld. They  _ had _ to give him some reward for his deceit, disloyalty, and treachery, right?

“Um, sirs? Uh, suggestion. Seeing as how my diligence and spectacular treachery pretty much put you where you are today- oof!”

Thatch squawked as he ran into the headmasters. They stood their gobsmacked.

“The ship’s gone.” You’d think they’d notice after standing there for 20+ minutes.

“Where’s that perfidious pirate?” Dash snarled. Already someone up for the executioner's block.

“Wait! He left a note… Arrrrrrrh.”

Dash’s eyebrows forward in frustration. “What do we do now?”

“Take the viking ship!”

“I hate that viking ship. I get seasick and there’s not enough room for my side of the leg.” They bickered as the weaponized students marched onboard.

“Well, what do you wanna do?”

“Let’s wait for the pirate to get back.”

“That’s a stupid idea, he could be gone for weeks!”

“Fine! We’ll take the viking ship. Happy?”

The two turned around just in time to see the ship leaving the dock. They looked glumly down at the last remaining boat, a tiny dingy. Not very fit for new monarchs, if you asked them.

* * *

Hey guys! I, uhh, I don’t have an excuse this time why I’m so late. At least this is in time for Halloween, though! Remember to like and subscroob for more uwu and I’ll probably see you within the year.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the fact that there are a lot of life threatening situations both in the show and the TV series. Right now I'm following the main story line of the movie and may be branching off from there. We'll see.


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